Judge Denies Super PAC’s Challenge to State Contribution Limits

A federal judge has denied a motion by the New York Progress and Protection PAC, an independent political action committee seeking to make independent expenditures in support of Republican New York City mayoral candidate Joseph Lhota, that would have allowed the group to accept unlimited contributions that would otherwise be prohibited under state law.  (Read my prior blog post on the lawsuit here.)

New York imposes a statutory cap on individual contributions at $150,000.  The group argued that this law limits its rights under the First Amendment, and sought a preliminary injunction that would prevent the state Board of Elections from enforcing that law.

New York District Court Judge Paul Crotty rejected the PAC’s request for a preliminary injunction, stating “this Court finds that a preliminary injunction would seriously undermine the public’s interest in a fair and predictable election process.”

In support of his decision, Judge Crotty cited the absence of a full factual record before the court, the fact that this state law has been in place and unchallenged for more than three decades, as well as the possibility that striking down the state limits could “disrupt the status quo within days of an election.”

Read the court’s decision here.